If you want to give your little one a great birthday party but you’re worried about the cost, this blog is for you. We’re going to show you how to throw a party kids will love without breaking the bank.

1. Set yourself a budget

Have a look at your finances and decide how much you can afford to spend on a party. Once you’ve set yourself a budget stick to it to make sure you don’t overspend and regret anything later on.

2. Send e-invites

3. Buy squash rather than bottles of pop

Instead of buying expensive, branded bottles of pop, why not buy a big bottle of squash to dilute? It’ll go much further and if you add fizzy water you won’t be able to tell the difference.

4. Make your own cake.

Don’t worry you don’t have to be Nigella to make a birthday cake everyone will enjoy. A Victoria sponge is one of the easiest recipes out there, and when you add all the ingredients together it’s likely to be cheaper than buying a ready-made one. Don’t forget to pick up some little candles, icing sugar and decorations to give it that party feel.

5. Don’t pay for an entertainer

There’s no need to pay for an entertainer for the big day – if you’ve got a costume and a willing partner or parent you’re good to go!

And kids love face painting, so why not just buy the paint and either do it yourself or get one of the more artistically inclined parents to help? There are loads of options on Amazon with the cheapest kits starting from around £10.

6. Cinema party?

If you don’t like the idea of a load of over-excited kids running around your house, why not see whether your child would enjoy a cinema party? Odeon kids show children’s films every Saturday, Sunday and every day of the summer holidays and tickets are just £2.50.

7. Have a sweet hunt

A few packets of sweets are going to be essential for your party and, thankfully, you can pic these up for next to nothing. Rather than just putting them in a bowl and letting the kids grab them as they want, hide some around the house or venue and set the kids on a sweet hunt. The sweets they find they’ll be able to put in their party bag to take home.

The kids will enjoy it more because you’re making a game out of it and it’s also a good way of limiting how much sugar they eat.

8. Share parties

If one of your child’s friends has their birthday in the same month, why not suggest to the parents that you share parties?

Because you’re splitting the cost down the middle you’ll probably be able to afford a few things that might otherwise have been out of your budget.

9. Don’t go overboard with party bags

You don’t need a lot of stuff to put in a party bag, especially if it’s for younger children. A piece of cake, a balloon, some sweets and perhaps something small along the lines of bubbles, or a small game should be enough.

10. Save on the venue

If you’re happy with hosting the party in your own garden or house then go for it as it’s going to be the cheaper option.

But, if having a venue is important because of lack of space or because your child is sharing a party as we suggested earlier, then don’t pay more than you need to.

Local community centres, scout huts or village halls are normally a cheaper option especially if you’re willing to do the work in the kitchen and help clean up. As with anything, make sure you leave yourself with enough time to book to avoid disappointment.

So there you go! Hopefully that’s given you food for thought and convinced you that it’s easier to have kid’s birthday party on a budget than you might have thought. We’ve got loads more money saving tips on the blog, so make sure you have a look to save as much as possible.

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